


A Drifter's Resilience

by Elillierose



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Bromance, Dysentery, Fever, Finn/Cassidy if you squint, Friendship, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Illness, Sickfic, Surgery, Vomiting, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-06-25 05:02:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19738843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elillierose/pseuds/Elillierose
Summary: What first seems to be a normal bug of sorts quickly proves to be something much more serious when Finn starts to deteriorate fast. In which Finn becomes dangerously ill and is forced to get actual help by his dysfunctional family.





	1. An Off Day

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by: [Sinikka_von_Wolperting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinikka_von_Wolperting/pseuds/Sinikka_von_Wolperting), [markofthemoros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/markofthemoros/pseuds/markofthemoros), and [DragonRiderSayomi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSayomi/pseuds/DragonRiderSayomi)
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://elillierose.tumblr.com/) for any questions or concerns~
> 
> So, I started this a while ago, and just now finished. This was supposed to be a one-shot, but things happened and it's now multiple chapters...ooops. Hopefully I got their personalities down. I also didn't expect to have Cassidy be the main one fretting, but again, things happened. lmao Anyway, hope you all enjoy~

“Finn!” Cassidy called curtly, giving the side of his tent a slight smack. “You plan on getting up today, or what?”

She took a step back, arms crossed as movement could finally be seen. There were a few swears and huffs, but soon enough, those familiar locks came into view. 

“Glad you finally decided to join us,” Hannah tossed out, after a small sip of coffee. The other said nothing, barely cast her a glance and merely offered a small wave of his hand in passing. 

“What’s the matter, wake up on the wrong side of the tent?” She rolled her eyes when that still didn’t earn her a reply.

Sean glanced between the two, eyes on the back of Finn’s head until he finally walked out of sight. Leaning forward, he kept his voice low: “Does he get like that too often?” He had to admit, for such a high energy person, seeing him anything but, even just waking up, was a bit off-putting.

Cassidy shrugged, returning to her place next to him. “Only seen him like that a couple times, but it’s rare. Just usually when he has a hangover or somethin’.” She offered Sean a slight smile, “Don’t worry, he’ll get over in a couple hours most likely.”

The brunet merely nodded, eyes darting back to where Finn had disappeared. He watched for a few minutes, half expecting him to come back before long, but after a few minutes, there was still no sign of him. The guy couldn’t take too long coming back, Big Joe would be here for them any moment. Not a moment after the thought crossed his mind, the sound of an engine caught his ear, eliciting a weary sigh. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could make out Daniel, already headed towards the truck. Well, at least that was one thing to make today easier. As he got to his feet, he couldn’t help his eyes wandering back in the other direction.

“I-I’ll catch up,” he nodded towards Cassidy. 

She didn’t need an explanation and returned the gesture. “Try not to take too long, you know how the big guy gets.”

“Yeah, don’t worry, I’ll be right there,” he assured. Giving her one last smile, she made her way to join the others. With as many times as Finn made sure he wasn’t late, he supposed it wouldn’t be too much to return the favor here and there.

Setting a brisk pace, he ran after the other. “Finn!” he called out, getting no reply. With a deep breath, and a debating glance back, Sean shook his head lightly. “Finn, come on, what the hell are you doing?” he muttered, continuing forward. He wasn’t about to spend all day looking for the guy. If he didn’t find him within the next ten sec-

Sean paused mid-step.

He was hoping he just wasn’t hearing right, but the sound of retching was hardly mistakable.

“Finn?”

He was answered with a soft “Shit,” and a few dragging steps as the brunet finally came into view. “Big Joe here already?” he asked, voice slightly hoarse. Sean barely noticed him swipe the back of his hand over his mouth. 

Finn’s eyes seemed to connect with everything but Sean’s.

“...Yeah,” the brunet replied reluctantly, gaze narrowing. “Is everything alright?” he asked, unable to ignore the other’s pallid complexion. Still, Finn avoided his stare.

Keeping his head low, Finn brushed by the other. “No need to worry, everything’s good h-ere.” He assured, then cleared his throat and spoke again with a bit more conviction. “Probably just had too much to drink last night.” He only took a few steps before looking over his shoulder. “Now come on, laddie, let’s go before Joe comes looking for us. Don’t want him gettin’ the wrong idea now, do we?” he asked with a quick wink.

Sean couldn’t hold back a small chuckle. “Yeah, yeah, I gotcha.”

The whole way to the truck, he kept now more than ten feet behind Finn. Even when they were all finally seated and on the move, his gaze hardly drifted from the other. Every now and then, he caught one of the others giving a sideways, concerned glance of their own. If Finn noticed any of the looks he received, he did a damn good job of hiding it. Though, with his own head hanging low, he likely was completely unaware.

It was weird. Without him talking up a storm, the ride was eerily quiet. Well, it would have been if it weren’t for Daniel making up for the lack of conversation.

“Hey, I’ve been practicing knife throwing some more!” the younger exclaimed proudly. He grabbed a hold of the other’s arm in his excitement, jostling him out of his momentary stupor. The confusion in his stare was gone in a flash.

“That’s great, little man!” he held up his hand for a high-five. With that, it was as if the mood had finally lifted. A lot of the tension fled and the rest of the crew were slowly falling into their own conversations. And, for at least a few minutes, they didn’t have to think about the fact that the mood would soon drop again. But, it was nice for the time being, and very much welcomed by all. Or, almost all. 

“Hey, how about shutting the fuck up back there!” Big Joe called back. “This ain’t some field trip.”

“Fuckin’ buzzkill…” Cassidy muttered under her breath. And just like that, the thick silence was draped back over them. At least it wasn’t that much longer of a wait before they finally arrived at the farm. One by one, they hopped off the back and made their way to meet up with Merrill. Like clockwork by this point, their assignments were given, and Sean let out a soft sigh hearing he was back on trims again today. His hands gave an achy protest at the thought. Today, it was him, Daniel, Cassidy and Finn. On the bright side, at least he wouldn’t be stuck with Cassidy and Hannah’s drama-fest.

It was almost second nature to him now, which he wasn’t sure how to feel about that. The clipping was becoming easier and required much less concentration than they had when first starting. Maybe that was a sign he had already been here far too long. 

Even so, Sean’s work was brought to a halt by the sudden scraping of one of the chairs. His head jerked up just in time to see Finn turn on his heel.

“Hey! Where the hell are you going?”

In a split second, Big Joe stood between him and the door. He stood straight, eyes boring straight through the drifter.

Time ceased as the others gazed upon the stare-down, like the air itself had solidified. Finn’s head was angled downward, breathing appearing to be slow and deliberate, like he was struggling to control it.

Finn took a cautious step back and raised one hand in defense, the other hovered just around his torso. “Look, man,” he started a bit shakily, ‘I-I jus’ need to...step out for a bit…” he lowered his head again, swallowing thickly. The small glimpse of his features Sean caught were quite a bit paler than just a few seconds ago. “H-Hey...trust me, you want me to go out there,” he tried again. 

It wasn’t until his right hand finally traveled to cover his mouth did the man finally take a swift step to the side. Finn barely made it out the door when he dropped to the side on his hands and knees. There was a few cringes as harsh retching drifted in. 

“Son of a bitch,” Joe growled under his breath. “I hope you plan on cleaning that shit up.” He instantly snapped his attention to the others. “Who the hell told any of you to stop? Get back to work!” 

Reluctantly, Sean continued trimming, casting his brother a quick glance. “Come on Daniel,” he said quietly, “just do as he says.”

Daniel stared out the door for a few seconds more. “Is he alright?” he asked, eyes slightly widened. 

“He...he’s fine,” Sean answered after glancing out. As if on cue, another, particularly rough-sounding hurl caused them both to cringe. 

“Fuck…” Cassidy muttered. “How much did he drink last night, anyway?” She chuckled to herself, but the sounds was anything but amused. “Haven’t seen him  _ this  _ messed up since...well...a month or so ago. She grew quiet as said guy slowly staggered back in.

He paused and leaned against the door frame, catching his breath. Of course, there was little time for that when a mop was less than gently shoved against his chest. Finn let out a small huff of air from the force. “Really?” he wheezed, shooting a glare up at the taller man. “You want me to clean the ground...with a mop?” 

“It’s that or your hands, your pick.”

“Damn, could at least give ‘em a break…” Cassidy muttered, cutting her attention over.

“Hey, nobody asked you. Less bitching, more trimming.” With that, Big Joe went back to his usual spot. With a shake of his head, Finn was back out and the rest were back to work. Every now and then, one of them would flick their attention outside, but not a word was spoken. And, in about five minutes, the brunet finally dragged himself back in and disgracefully fell back into his seat with a low groan.

“You gonna live?” Cassidy asked, a hint of concern beneath the jab.

A few seconds went by and he finally replied with a strained, “Yeah , m’good.” With a shaky hand, he picked his scissors back up and continued where he left off. His pace was slow, a lot slower than usual, but he nor the others commented on it. Especially not when his hands were already as unsteady as they were. And one look at his face was all any of them needed to know that he wasn’t exactly in the mood to discuss anything. 

For the most part, time went by as normal; aside from the occasional short banter and complaint. By the end of their shift, all were vocal about their discomfort, some more so than others. At least by the time they were all on the back of the truck, most of the lingering mood was dissipating. 

Although, a few of them noticed, every bump in the road they ran across had Finn wincing. Another jostle and the guy paled by a few more shades. That coupled with the fresh sheen over his face was starting to make the whole ‘hangover’ excuse seem like a load of bullshit. Again, one of his arms was hovering almost protectively over his torso while the other remained pressed against his forehead as he leaned into it.

Just as Sean opened his mouth to question the drifter, the truck came to a stop; and, before anyone else could react, Finn was already off, headed in the opposite direction of their camp. There were a couple raised eyebrows, a few mutterings and one shared glance between Sean and Cassidy. No words were exchanged between the two, but they both knew exactly what the other was thinking and their intentions. 

“Daniel,” Sean called, glancing towards the other before kneeling down. “Go ahead and head back with the others. Cassidy and I, we have to go check up on something.”

“Why do you always do this?” Daniel asked, arms crossed. “I want to go, too, he’s my friend, too.” His brows furrowed as he stared his brother in the eyes, clearly not willing to back down.

With a heavy sigh, Sean placed one hand on the younger’s shoulder. “Look, Daniel. I understand, you want to make sure he’s alright, too. But two of us going is probably already more than enough. I’m sure he won’t want a crowd of people around him. Besides, with us gone, they’ll need the help back at camp. So, just make sure everything is running smoothly there for when we get back.” 

There were a few moments of hesitation with clear displeasure in his eyes. But, eventually Daniel nodded once with a small hum. “Alright…”

“And Daniel, no sneaking off or following us, understand?”

“I got it!” he snapped back. “I’m not.”

“Good,” Sean nodded, straightening back up. He watched for a few moments as the other headed back, just to be sure. “Alright, let’s go,” he said, turning to Cassidy now. He hated to admit it, and definitely didn’t want Daniel to have to see anything, but there was more than a little inkling of worry weighing in his stomach. Events from that morning, then again on the farm; and now this. Something was definitely up, and this time, he wasn’t going to accept any other answer aside from the truth.

It didn’t take them long walking before they found - or heard - exactly what they were looking for.

“Finn, everything alright?” Cassidy asked. A rare, caring tone accompanied her inquiry.

There was a surprised gasp and what sounded like a miserable groan before they got a response. Borderline panicky, Finn stuttered, “Y-Yeah….just stay over there.”

The others shared a confused look with one another, but did as they were asked and even took a few considerate steps back. A couple to a few minutes went by, enough for their worry to begin to grow again.

“You sure everything is fi-”

“I said I’m good!”

There was a bit of incoherent mutterings, of which only a few swears could be discerned. The pair waited patiently until soon enough, Finn emerged, a fresh sheen to his face. He stumbled with his first few steps, nearly tripping on the fourth. Luckily there were plenty of trees for him to grab onto. He paused when he stood before them, leaning and clinging for dear life to the nearest trunk.

“Alright, spill,” Cassidy got right to the point, leaving no room for avoidance. 

Just like earlier, the drifter steered his attention away from their eyes. Brushing a hand over his face with a sigh, he shook his head. “Look, I already said it’s all good,” he tried again, forced half-smile. Neither of the others showed a single sign of amusement.

“Finn…” She warned, moving just enough to make sure his path was blocked. 

He let out a small chuckle and shifted his weight. It almost went smooth enough if it weren’t for the small whimper and wince at the end of it. “You two are worryin’ too much, really.” He took a deep breath and straightened himself a bit. “Look, I appreciate the love and all, but there’s r-really nothin’ to-” His jaw clenched suddenly and his hand was pressed firmly against the tree, fingers curled. At the same time, green eyes dropped to the ground. “Fuck…”

Before he could compose himself once more, Cassidy’s hand was touching his forehead, causing Finn to instantly yank himself back.

“You’re on fuckin’ fire, dude,” she announced, all sense of humor gone. 

“Now now…” he held up his free hand in defense. “It’s not as bad as it looks…” he trailed off and swallowed, eyes still cast downward. “Probably just...just a ...b-bug, y’know? It should...pass…” Without warning, the runaway fell to his hands and knees, gags wracking his form.

“Son of a…” Cassidy muttered, kneeling down next to him.

Most of it was dry-heaving, seeing as there couldn’t have been much of anything left after the first few times. 

“There...there,” Cassidy muttered stiffly. “Just...let it all out. Unless you already did.”

Finn gave a weak thumbs up as things finally settled back down and he was left panting for breath. “That...sucks ass…” he breathed out as he sat back and tossed his head back. 

“So, is that all?” Sean asked, finally speaking up, albeit a tad timidly. “I mean, just the whole throwing up?”

Finn’s lips pressed together and his eyes wandered. “Trust me, I wish that was...the only end it was comin’ out.” Well, that was all the answer Sean needed to hear. Finn leaned to the side, head resting against the tree as he gave his body time to come back around. “It’ll pass…” he muttered again. “It did before on its own.”

“Before?” Sean asked, glancing towards Cassidy.

“Yeah, like I said, isn’t the first time he got like this. Seems the exact same as last time.”

Finn waved a dismissive hand. “Exactly, so s’not a big deal.” With a deep sigh, he pulled himself up to his feet. “Now, I’m tired, so Imma just...head to bed.”

He barely got a step and was stopped when a hand wrapped around his upper arm. He didn’t even attempt to hold back his groan as he looked back. “I already know what you’re gonna say,” he said wearily, looking at Cassidy. “‘You should go see a doctor’,” he mimicked almost mockingly. “I told ya before, I don’t need one. All they’re gonna do is tell me what I already know. It’s always the same shit.”

Cassidy held on for a few more moments, eyes locked, until she finally dropped her hand with a huff. “Fine, have it your way, stubborn ass.”

“Cass, I’ll be fine,” he assured with a soft smile. “Now, I’ll see ya back at camp.” Finn stepped past the both of them, offering a small wave.

The moment he was out of view, Cassidy let out a small growl. “I swear, sometimes he’s the biggest dumbass I’ve ever met.” Almost instantly, her expression softened. “But, if he says he’ll be fine, then whatever, I guess I’ll roll with it. Can’t force’em to do anything he doesn’t want to, after all.” 

“Yeah, I guess,” Sean sighed. “So what, just keep an eye on things for now?”

“Yup, that’s basically it.” She began heading back, gesturing for the other to follow. “But, he’s not completely hopeless; the moment things seem dire, he knows when to cave...usually. He’s stupid and reckless, but he does have at least a little bit of self-preservation instincts.”

Sean just chuckled lightly at that. “I’m sure. But, from the looks of it, you all do.”

They soon made their way back, and sure enough, Finn was nowhere to be seen, likely already hidden away in his tent. 

“Did Finn go to bed?” Cassidy asked as they walked by Hannah.

She shrugged, glancing in that direction. “Yeah, just muttered that he was tired.” She paused her task of slicing carrots. “So what, he sick again?” She asked with a shake of her head.

“Mmhmm, same as before,” Cassidy said, taking a seat next to the other. 

“Great, so another week of that shit, then.” 

Cassidy let out a small hum and took a seat next to the other. As their conversation carried on, Sean took a quick look around.

“...Um, where’s Daniel?”

Hannah jabbed a finger over. “He wanted to check on Finn the moment he got back. He hasn’t left, so guess they’re getting along.”

Sean pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why is he always like this?” He wasted no time heading over. Honestly, he swore that kid just didn’t understand boundaries sometimes. He stopped right outside the tent an reached for the zipper, only to pause when he heard voices on the other side. He couldn’t make out where they were saying though, but neither really sounded annoyed. 

Still...this wasn’t the time.

“Daniel,” he called in a hushed whisper. “Come on, leave him alone and come out. I’m sure he’d just like to sleep and I’m sure you don’t want to catch whatever he has.”

“He has a point,” he heard Finn agree from the other side. “I don’t even know what this is, there’s no tellin’.” Slowly, the tent unzipped just enough for Daniel to slip through. Though, it was plenty for Sean to catch a glimpse of Finn. And he wasn’t sure if it was due to the lack of light or not, but he managed to look even rougher than he had just a few minutes ago. He was postly facing away, eyes shut and face drawn. One arm was now wrapped fully around himself. 

“Do you, uh, need anything?” Sean asked.

One green orb peered over to him. “Nah thanks...I’m good.” He curled up tighter on his side, letting out a stifled whimper. He shifted in a desperate attempt to get comfortable, but it appeared to be futile. 

“I’ll just...bring some water…” Sean offered. He saw Finn about to protest against it and quickly added. “Even if it doesn’t stay down, you still need to drink it.” 

Finn didn’t oppose further to that. Just whined again and turned more to his side. Sean’s jaw tensed as he gazed upon the other. If this was really the same thing the others mentioned, the idea of this going on for a few days, let alone a week, was enough inject dread into his veins. This definitely wasn’t normal, and definitely wasn’t just a bug. 


	2. Off Color

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is, chapter 2~ Hope you all enjoy this roller coaster. :'D
> 
> Beta read by: [Sinikka_von_Wolperting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinikka_von_Wolperting/pseuds/Sinikka_von_Wolperting), [markofthemoros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/markofthemoros/pseuds/markofthemoros) and [DragonRiderSayomi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSayomi/pseuds/DragonRiderSayomi)
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://elillierose.tumblr.com/) for questions or concerns

Through the evening, Finn kept fleeing from his tent, barely making it into the woods before he was again on all fours or hiding himself in the nearest foliage. At least he had the decency to make it as far as he could. And every time he dragged himself back and dropped back into his tent with a miserable huff. He could hardly keep water down for more than a few minutes.

Unsurprisingly, dinner was skipped on his part. Instead, he spent his time mostly in the woods, coming back to sleep for maybe a few minutes at a time if possible. 

For the most part, everyone stayed out of his way; he was only checked on here and there and offered water, most of which he refused after a certain point. Decided it just wasn’t worth it, no matter how much Sean, Cassidy, or even Hannah tried to convince him otherwise. It wasn’t until well into the night that he finally seemed willing to try another sip.

Of course, it took a bit of ‘persuasion’.

“Finn, I know you don’t want to, but you have to drink something,” Cassidy reminded him, crouching just outside his tent. “Not doing so will only make you worse, you’ll become dehydrated and you know what that means.” She fell silent, letting the pieces fall into place on their own. 

He gazed over at her, eyes narrowed and mouth pressed. But the realization shone in his eyes.

“You know that if you don’t and make yourself worse, we’ll have to force you to a doctor. And I’m pretty sure we’d all rather avoid that if we can help it.” That being said, she held the cup out and gave him a reassuring nod. “Come on, what’s worse, taking a few sips or going to a hospital. It’s your choice and there’s more of us than there is of you.”

Finn scratched the back of his head and muttered to himself. “Alright, enough with the threats.” His voice nearly scraped its way out, and Sean couldn't help a cringe. He sat up, and with one shaky hand, took the offered cup. For a few moments, he stared into the contents, already paling at the sight. Closing his eyes tightly, Finn took one, quick sip and tried to shove the cup back towards the other.

“Finn…” she warned, placing her palm against it. 

“I can’t,” he croaked, his other arm was wrapped tightly around his abdomen. “I-I promise...I’ll try again soon,” he said, hoping that was the end of it. 

At this, Sean stepped forward. “Think about it this way,” he started, kneeling. “Which do you think is worse? Dry-heaving and wracking your throat even more, or throwing up water?” His brows were furrowed; he for one, was not about to let Finn act like a child in this situation. “Just drink half of it, and if you throw it back up, then you’ll just have to drink the rest. With how much you’ve already had to take a trip to the woods, I have no doubt you’re already terribly dehydrated.” 

The drifter leaned his head back with a groan. “Shuddup, you’re makin’ too much sense and I don’t like it.” He took a deep, steady breath. “I’m gonna regret this…” he muttered before tipping the cup back.

“Slowly, though,” Sean warned.

Doing as instructed, even though it took some time, Finn eventually managed to down half of it. But, he made sure not to drink a drop more. With a grimace, he shoved the cup back this time, making it clear this time he was absolutely done with it. 

“Happy?” Finn asked lowly.

Sean nodded once. “Yeah...thanks. Honestly, it’s a little reassuring.”

“You guys actin’ like m’on a deathbed or somethin’,” Finn grumbled, lying back down, taking the usual position on his side, slightly curled. “I mean, I feel kinda like death, but that’s not the point.”

“Speaking of…” Cassidy went on. “How exactly do you feel?”

Finn let out a bitter sound and cracked an eye open to peer at the two of them. “Like my stomach is trying to implode in on itself,” he answered bluntly. He took a shaky breath, corner of his mouth twitching slightly. “Almost constantly nauseous and tired asssssss fuck. Can’t sleep though.” Again, he tried to force another one of those damned nonchalant smiles. “Besides that, right as piss.”

“I think you got that a little...nevermind.”

“I already told you guys…” Finn went on, voice flattening as he stared off to the side, “this’ll pass in no time.” Slowly, his breaths were evening out, and it finally looked like he was drifting off again. But, there was no telling for how long before he was bolting out again. Carefully, the both of them eased away, seemingly afraid that even the slightest noise would disturb him. Couldn’t risk it when he really needed every second he could get. 

Sean waited until they were a good distance away before asking, “So...how do they handle ‘sick days’?” He was worried he already knew the answer to that one. 

The way her eyes darted away was answer enough. “Well, technically it’s fine as long as the work gets done,” she shrugged. “So, if he can’t go, the rest of us will just have to make up for it. His pay gets cut, but that’s about it, and he’ll have some shitty jobs to look forward to.” She cocked her head to the side. “All in all, not too bad of a punishment as long as the rest goes smoothly.”

“Oh, alright, well that’s not as concerning then.” He glanced back towards the tent. “I don’t know about you, but I still think he should go see someone about that…”

Again, Cassidy shrugged. “I know, we tried to get him to go the first time, but like he said, he got over it and so we let it go. It’s a little worse this time, but we’ll try to give the benefit of the doubt.” She placed a hand on Sean’s shoulder, “You’re really worried about him, aren’t you? Well, how sweet,” she teased, giving a light shove.

“Cut it out. We just owe him for hooking us up, alright?” Sean walked a few more steps and took a seat in one of the chairs. “Besides, all of you became like a second family, so of course I care.”

“Glad to see you’re fitting in, finally,” Cassidy teased, sitting across from him. “But, it’s getting late, maybe you should head to bed, too. And don’t worry, I’ll be staying up for a while to keep an eye on things and check in.”

“You sure? I can stay up instead, I’m not really that tired anyway.”

She leaned forward and gave a soft smile. “Nah, it’s fine, really. But, if you really want, I can wake you up to take second shift,” she offered with a wink.

Sean nodded; he supposed that would work. “Just make sure he drinks more water at least, even if you have to threaten him some more. 

“Aye aye,” she said with a mock salute. 

With a yawn, Sean stretched to his feet, hands raised above his head. “Right, just get me in a few hours then, alright? And don’t forget.” He waited until he got his confirmation and finally turned, heading towards his own tent. On his way by, he didn’t miss the soft sounds of tossing and turning and let out a sigh. Guess it wouldn’t be long before he woke up again.

* * *

Time passed by without much notice as Cassidy lost herself in the strumming of her guitar. Once she finished another song, she glanced up, gazing towards Finn’s tent, brows slightly pinched. It was a bit surprising not to have seen him emerge by now, but perhaps that was a good thing. Well, definitely was.

Carefully, she placed her instrument down and walked the few yards over. As quietly as she could, she slid the zipper around and peaked inside. Finn was almost right where they left him, curled on his side with pained features. His breathing was a little uneven, but he still appeared to be asleep. Cassidy crawled forward, easily so as not to bump or touch him in any way. Slipping next to him, she felt his forehead once again. The first thing she noticed was the unmistakable dampness of his skin. And the next, immediately after that, was the pure heat wafting off. 

“Jesus…” she muttered, sliding her hand away. She definitely didn’t remember it being this bad the first time. Maybe Sean was right. Maybe seeing a doctor was in their best interest, regardless of what Finn may have wanted. As she made to leave, the other shifted with a whimper. Taking a sharp breath, he turned his head, burying it in his pillow. His breath hitched and this time both arms wrapped securely around himself. 

Just as carefully as she entered, she made her way back out and quickly fetched a bowl of water and the cleanest rag she could find and returned right back to Finn’s side. By now, his breathing was faster, more labored and less even. 

“Shhh,” she shushed, unsure if he could hear her or not. She dipped the rag in the water and rung it out. Using one hand to cup Finn’s face, she draped the cloth over his forehead and dabbed lightly. She wished the water was a bit cooler, but it was the best they had. He calmed down slightly, but his expression remained strained. After a few seconds of cleaning his face, a single, dulled eye cracked open. 

“Hey…” she greeted, dipping the cloth again and this time leaving it to rest on his brow. “How’re ya holdin’ up?” She kept her voice lowered.

Cassidy moved a bit closer, enough so to prop his head up on her leg. He groaned silently with the movement, but sighed once he was stilled once more. “Not gonna lie,” he muttered hoarsely, “been better.” His eye instantly squeezed back up as Cassidy felt him tense up with a small gasp. Finn hissed through his teeth until this one eventually passed. “I-I think this is...worse than’last time…” he ground out. 

“Does that mean you want to go get checked out now?”

He tried to laugh, but it only came across as a whine, “Let’s not go...that far.” 

She tried to return the same confidence, but it fell short and her smile faltered. The longer he lied there, the more she was aware of the light tremors, the hitching in his breaths and the struggle he put forth to even try to play all this off. 

“Just be quiet and try to go back to sleep,” she whispered, rinsing the cloth again. “You’re wasting your energy being stubborn.”

Finn forced a sideways smirk and forced both eyes halfway open to meet hers. “Sorry, but m’wide awake now.” His words were slightly slurred. Another shiver ran through him, forcing his gaze to be hidden again. Taking a deep breath, he willed his shoulders to relax and leaned his head more into her hand. “B’sides, too comfortable.”

Cassidy rolled her eyes. “You dumbass, that’s just another reason to sleep.” 

For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence.

Then a couple more seconds drifted by and Cassidy felt a sudden jolt. Finn jerked away from her, and faster than she thought possible at the moment, he fled the tent. But, this time around, he only made it to the edge of their camp before hitting the ground. Cassidy was right behind him, hand on his upper back as he heaved. Of course, there wasn’t much to come back up. 

By the time it was over, every inch of his body was shaking and he drew in a deep breath - damn near a sob. 

“Fuck…” Finn wheezed. “This fuckin’ sucks.” With Cassidy’s help, he got back to his feet; neither voiced the fact that she was bearing more of his weight. 

“I know, but unless you’re willing to-”

“No.”

Cassidy shook her head as she lead the two of them back towards his tent. She got within a few feet when Finn stiffened, not allowing her to take another step. 

“What are you doing? You need to go back to sleep.”

He took a deep breath and unsteadily pulled himself away. “Nah,” he said, instead turning towards the chairs. “It’s too damn stuffy in there.” He staggered a few more feet and dropped himself into the nearest seat, instantly sagging into it. “This’s better,” he mumbled. He leaned his head back, dragging in a long inhale as a gust blew by. He actually seemed relaxed sitting there.

Cassidy just let him have it, no use in trying to drag him back, not if he was more comfortable sitting out here for now. She really couldn’t blame him. Fresh air could do wonders. She looked up to the moon...quite a bit of time had passed after all. There was a short debate in her head of whether she should wake Sean up or not. One more look at Finn and she shook her head before joining him and picking her guitar back up. Setting it in her lap, she pushed the remainder of his water over.

“Drink,” she commanded.

“You’re like a broken record,” he mumbled.

“And I’ll continue to sound like one until you do it.” 

Finn cut his eyes over to the cup, eyes damn near piercing through it. With one hand, he plucked it off the table and swirled it around. Slowly, he took a tentative sip. Seeing as he didn’t immediately put it back down, Cassidy lifted her guitar and began to strum again. Soon enough, a tune was picked up and she was humming along to it. 

As it carried on, Finn took sips here and there, focusing on the music and nothing else. 

She picked up the volume slightly, her hums grew into lyrics and her strums carried into chords. She paid little mind to what she was doing, simply allowed muscle memory and her body to take over. She took a slow breath before humming the last note and letting her hand drift down the strings; waiting as the musical remnants faded. 

For a few seconds, she relished in the quiet, only jumping out of it when something thumped against the ground. Her head spun around, heart racing until she found Finn, still sitting straight in his chair, just slightly leaned over. She glanced down, sighing in relief at the cup now rolling at his feet.

“Finn?” she whispered.

She reached over and placed a hand over his arm and gave the lightest shake she could. 

No reaction. 

But, she could make out the now steady rise and fall of his chest. And, if it weren’t for the facial twitches and occasional slumbering whimper, she’d think this was just any other night. Part of her wanted to help him back to bed, but the rest of her wanted to leave him right where he was seeing how peacefully he was sleeping. Maybe she’d leave him there for a while longer. Maybe a couple hours. 

She leaned back herself and tilted her head back, staring up at the stars and moon. Before long, she felt the tugs of sleep pulling at her eyes. As she drifted off, the last thing she could hear was Finn’s breathing. 

* * *

Cassidy barely remembered when she fell asleep, barely remembered she had at all until something shook her shoulder and she was yanked out of her current dreams. Groggily, she peered through half-lidded eyes, making out a humanoid shape leaning over her. Sleep still gripped her.

“Wha-?” she mumbled.

“Where’s Finn?”

Her eyes snapped open and instantly darted to where she last remembered him. 

“Shit!” she blurted, already on her feet, nearly knocking Sean away on her way up. “Finn!?”

She glanced around, no sign of him. Her mind was racing; why the hell did she allow herself to fall asleep, and how did he, in his condition, manage to wander off without waking her up? And where the  _ fuck _ did he go? One hand rose and gripped her hair. Her heart was sinking more and more by the second. 

“Ok, he couldn’t have gotten too far, right?” She glanced around once more, as if he would magically appear somewhere. She glanced towards the sun. “Ok, it’s fine, we have time to look for him.”

She didn’t wait for a response from anyone, she went right for the woods. Deep down she knew it, she knew it was completely stupid of her to leave him sitting there, and careless of her to let herself fall asleep. 

“Dammit,” she seethed, stepping over a log. “Finn!?”

She paused, waiting for a response, but all she was getting in return were the calls of the rest. From the sounds of it, no one was having in luck. And she knew before long, Big Joe would show, and it wasn’t like they could take their time once he showed. Time just wasn’t something that was on their side right now. 

“Finn, come on, this isn’t the time!”

Cassidy continued deeper into the woods, head swinging in every direction, eyes darting to everything that could have even remotely resembled any part of his body. Nothing was grabbing her attention. Her feet moved faster and her heart sped up. He had to be around here somewhere. She couldn’t think straight, and if it weren’t for the fact that he could barely walk just last night, she might not have been all that worried. But that fever he had, seeing him on his hands and knees almost losing control of himself; it all left a bad taste in her mouth. 

“I found him!”

Instantly, her heart stopped.

She was already headed back to the camp, reaching it just as Jacob came staggering back, one of Finn’s arms draped over his shoulders as the two of them stumbled. Cassidy quickly took over, and Finn was switched from Jacob to her. 

“Where the hell did you go, you fucking idiot!?” she asked as he sagged against her.

He breathed in slowly, trembling. “Calm down, jus’ad to use the bathroom.” 

“He was passed out against a tree…” Jacob clarified. “Completely out of it, and his fever, it’s, uh, yeah, it’s not good.”

Cassidy didn’t have to be told that, she could feel it. It hadn’t changed at all since last night. “Finn, look at me,” she requested, voice soft.

His reaction was slow, but eventually, painstakingly slow, he turned in her direction and met her gaze.

She froze, staring back, eyes widening. “...Finn?” Her voice was no more than a whisper that lingered in the air for a few moments. The tone had all the others pausing, looking to the two of them. But, she didn’t even notice, couldn’t tear her eyes away from the slight discoloration of the whites of his eyes. 

Cassidy may not have been a doctor, or had the best medical knowledge, but she knew enough to know that the slight yellow hue was not promising in the slightest. 


	3. Roads to Cross

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if anyone is actually reading this, but I got the whole thing done, so I'm posting it all regardless. XD 
> 
> Beta read by: [Sinikka_von_Wolperting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinikka_von_Wolperting/pseuds/Sinikka_von_Wolperting), [markofthemoros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/markofthemoros/pseuds/markofthemoros) and [DragonRiderSayomi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSayomi/pseuds/DragonRiderSayomi)
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://elillierose.tumblr.com/)

“Finn...holy shit…”

They all snapped their attention at the horn sounding out. 

“So, what the hell do we do?” Hannah asked. “That bastard’s here, and we can’t keep him waiting, and we can’t just leave Finn here like this,” she stated, waving her hand up and down.

“I-I know that,” Cassidy replied. “You guys go ahead, no reason for all of us to catch his shit. I’ll take care of him. Get him to town, to a doctor.” 

Finn’s eyes widened; he shifted at the comment, but in his current state, pulling away wasn’t a possibility. “No way, do’need it,” he slurred, giving her his best attempt at a glare. Despite his words, Cassidy was supporting more of his weight by the second. “I told y’all, you’re worryin’ too much.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “It’s sweet’n’all, but not needed.” 

“Finn, shut the hell up,” Cassidy nearly snapped. “You’re sick, you’re not ‘fine’. The rest of you, go ahead before he comes over here, I promise, I’ve got this.” They were reluctant, a couple of them even looked like they were about to offer to stay as well, but another yell from Joe had them second guessing. “Go on, get going, you’re already going to have to make up for two of us being gone, the more that’s not there, the more the rest get punished.”

Daniel took a step forward, but Sean placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Daniel, no, she’s right, we need to go.”

“Yeah,” Finn joined in, offering a fist bump. It was a rather half-hearted one, but it was enough of a reassuring gesture for the kid to nod once. “Gonna need ya to cover for me,” he added with a wink. “Think...ya can handle that?” His face paled and he flinched, but he managed to keep most of his composure intact. But, Cassidy was painfully aware of the struggle that small gesture was for him. 

“Alright, sure,” Daniel muttered, stepping back.

“Now get going,” Cassidy repeated, jerking her head in the direction of the truck. Most of them did so without more hesitation, but not without their concerned glances back. 

Sean was the last remaining, expression on his face that told of him wanting to say something. But, he was quiet for a few seconds more. Instead, he opted for a comforting hand on her shoulder and a small, short nod. 

“Take care,” he muttered, looking to Finn now, who didn’t appear to notice the stare. 

“You, too,” Cassidy replied. “And please, make sure no one does anything to piss off the bosses. They already won’t be in the best of moods…” She took a deep breath, giving her cargo a jerk for readjustment. “They don’t need more reasons if you can help it.” Another yell - impatient - and all three flinched. “Now go the hell on, will ya?”

“Yeah, right,” Sean sighed. Finally, with no more delays, he ran to catch up, apologizing along the way.

Cassidy let out a small laugh. “What’re we gonna do with him?” She breathed out slowly as the engine of the truck slowly trailed away. “And, more importantly,” she continued, cutting her attention over, “what’re we gonna do with you?” Her eyes narrowed and mouth pressed as a shudder jolted through him.

“Lemme sleep?” he offered with a weak scoff - what she assumed was a sorry excuse for a laugh.

She hummed lowly. “We already tried that, but you even fucked that up.” Expression dropping, Cassidy pulled Finn’s arm farther around her shoulders. “I know you’re tired of hearing this, and I’m damn sure sick of saying it, but you need to see a doctor, Finn.” 

“You’re right,” he mumbled, but made no protest.

Her eyebrow arched as she lead them into their first few steps in the opposite direction of the farm. “About which part?”

She felt the subtle shake of his head. “‘Bout both? S’pose?” Surprisingly, the tone held no bitterness; it did, however, drag out - defeated. “Les’jus’ get it over with,” he sighed. 

Cassidy was more than a tad taken off guard by that. Did he really just accept going to a doctor? Finn did? Her teeth pressed into the inside of her lower lip. “Alright, we don’t have time to waste,” she said, hefting him up with a displeased groan. Her arm wrapped tighter around his waist, and almost instantly, Finn let out a small gasp, knees nearly giving out.

“Fuck,” he whimpered almost inaudibly, breath held.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Cassidy blurted out, lowering slightly until he caught his breath. “What’s wrong?”

Finn shook his head. “S’fine.” His eyes were squeezed shut and face a few shades whiter. “Need...a moment.” Breath after breath was tightly blown out, gradually evening out. “Ok...alright,” he whispered, cracking one eye open and gripped Cassidy’s shoulder. “M’ready.” 

“You sure?”

A bitter inhale, “Well, S’not gonna be a better….time.” This time, there were no attempts in veiling his discomfort as he was helped back to his feet. He whimpered and swore the whole way up, and by the time they were both standing, he panted for steady breath. 

This was going to be a long walk.

* * *

“Is Finn going to be alright?” 

Sean took a deep breath and turned towards Daniel. “I already told you,  _ enano, _ he’ll be...fine.” He pulled his eyes away, deciding to stare at his clasped hands instead. “Remember, they said he’s been sick before, right? And he got over that, so this is the same. It’s like...having the flu or something.”

Daniel just muttered a soft ‘Oh’ and dropped his attention as well. 

“Yeah,” Hannah grumbled, “if the flu was on steroids.” She leaned back with her arms crossed, looking at no one in particular. “All I know is, and you all know it as well, that isn’t some ‘flu’ or anything of the sort. And it’s not like last time.” She turned her head, facing behind the truck. “You all saw him. It’s bad; really fucking bad.” Hannah paused as she scanned the faces of everyone; they all looked away from her - hurt awareness on their faces. None of them could deny that she was right.

“He’ll be fine, though,” Sean repeated, this time towards everyone. 

“I hope you’re right…” Hannah replied. 

Sean really hoped he was as well. But.. like Hannah had said, it didn’t look too promising. Just the image of how Finn looked before they left didn’t leave a good taste in his mouth. The only relief he got was knowing Cassidy was there, doing everything she could.

The rest of the ride was spent in heavy silence. Surprisingly, even Daniel wasn’t much for conversation at the moment. Sean clapped his hand on his brothers back, and left it there, reassuringly, for the rest of the trip.

Upon arrival, they all hopped off, ready to hurry and get their work done plus whatever they would have to make up for. They filed through, lining up before Merrill, who was already scanning over the faces, a crease in his forehead. 

“We seem to be a couple workers short,” he announced. He crossed his hands behind his back as he walked from side to side, finally stopping back where he started. “Finn and Cassidy, where are they?”

Sean cleared his throat and raised his head. “Uh...they’re back at camp,” he started with a hard swallow. Now, their boss moved to stand in front of him. Sean instantly felt a foot shorter as the man stared down at him.

“And why aren’t they here? We have a lot of work to do.”

“Finn is...he’s sick,” Sean clarified. “Cassidy is staying there with him to keep an eye on things.”

Merrill shook his head and turned away to walk a few steps back. “Buncha good for nothing hippies,” he muttered, spinning back around. “This isn’t a goddamn office job; there are no sick days.”

“But-”

“If you all didn’t stay up all night with your fucking parties, you wouldn’t have to worry about feeling like shit all the time!” He paused, bringing his hands back around. “He’s lucky he does a good job around here; he would have been gone ages ago if not. That doesn’t mean either of them will get off scot-free, you lot either. Hope you’re all ready to cover for their slack and then some.” 

A few of them nodded, already knowing the drill. 

“Let the two of them know their pay is getting docked as well; I’m not paying either of them to laze around.”

“Yeah...we will,” Hannah replied. 

Merrill watched them critically for a few more moments before finally giving them their jobs for the day. Of course, some of them had double the work, having to shift in the middle of the day. There were a few sighs, but zero complaints. They were at least smart enough to realize when it wasn’t the time. 

All of them were sure to put a little more effort into their work than usual. There was no room for little mistakes. Not today. But, even with them all on top of things and doing everything exactly as they were asked, it was clear the boss was in a bad mood and would find reasons for why it wasn’t good enough. As difficult as it was, no one argued and played along. Only half the time had passed, and already they felt as though they worked a double shift. So much for making up for the absence of two people; they may as well have been covering for a full team.

“Is it usually this bad?” Sean asked, dropping another bud into the container. He shifted on to the next plant.

Hannah huffed a heavy exhale. “Not...usually. But usually it’s just one of us not here...so two being gone, yeah. I imagine he’s a bit pissed.”

Sean nodded. “And what if this has to go on for another day?” He was almost afraid of the answer. Merrill threatened firing often, but for some reason, the idea of them just not showing up sounded like pushing the envelope. And he had a lot of doubt Finn would be up for coming in tomorrow. Not unless there was some miraculous recovery overnight.

“I dunno, we’ve never missed more than a day, never had to.”

The brunet sucked in a deep breath, heart humming in his chest. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see then.” He glanced to the side as Merrill stood there, arms crossed and watching them like a hawk. 

“What are we going to do about all this if he disapproves?” he asked, choosing his words carefully.

Hannah shrugged on one side. “I guess we just run,” she replied nonchalantly. “Wouldn’t be the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last, I’m sure.” She stopped, still crouched and gazed up at the younger, “Things will work out, we always find a way to make sure they do. So, don’t worry about it. Like Finn likes to say, ‘go with the flow’.” She offered him a small grin, which he returned honestly.

“Yeah, I’m sure things will work out.”

* * *

“Come on, it’s not much farther,” Cassidy promised, again pulling the other up straighter.

Finn let out a shaky breath; his face was pinched, eyes half open. “You said that...already before.”

“Well, now it’s even less than that,” she replied, forcing him to take a few more steps. “See, I can already see the edge of town, it’s just on the other side,” she said as her foot fell upon pavement. She practically dragged him along, realizing a while ago she wasn’t going to be getting much help from his side. But, he was still conscious and still coming along willingly, which was honestly more than she could have hoped for.

Though, she did have to ask here and there to make sure he really was still with her and hadn’t passed out. That alone was a miracle with the fever he was now sporting. Cassidy could have sworn it had risen at least a degree since they left. A few beads of sweat rolled down the side of his face.

“I do need you to work with me here,” she grunted. “I can’t carry you.”

With a slow, trembling breath, Finn pulled himself up with a groan. His free arm was still gripped around himself, as if that’s all that was holding him together. “Tryin’ m’best,” he slurred, teeth grit. And she could tell he was. Her heart tightened at the sight of it, for someone who always stayed so positive to be crumbling against her like this; it was hard. 

“This’ll all be taken care of soon,” she encouraged. 

He didn’t reply, likely too concentrated on just staying upright and putting one foot in front of the other. Hell, his breathing was leaning towards the manual side of things at this point. 

Within a few minutes, they were finally on the other side of the road, and Cassidy was back to bearing almost all of his weight. At least they were around people now, the worst of the trip was over, now all they needed wa-

Finn gasped again, almost pulling her down with him. His pained whine quickly turned into that of a strained cry. 

“Finn?!” she asked, as he dropped to his side, head turned towards the ground. “Finn, talk to me, what’s wrong?” she near begged, hand on his shoulder as she gave him a few firm shakes. He was deathly pale, and now that she looked at him closer, his entire face was ashen, covered in a light sheen. “Come on, say something!”

All she received as a response were more whimpers and choked sobs as he wrapped his arms around himself. His head turned until his forehead was pressed against cement, effectively hiding his features from view. Cassidy hovered over him, fingers scraping against the ground. As she called his name, he finally revealed enough of his face for her to make out one sliver of green. What little there was was streaked with fear and panic.

Her chest clenched, teeth doing the same as she forced herself to turn away. Already, she caught a few stares, heard a few murmurs she hadn’t noticed before. Her brows furrowed; how long were they just going to stare!?

“Call help!” she demanded - pleaded. “Someone, call an ambulance!” She turned back to Finn as the mutterings continued, but no one attempted to step forward.

“Finn, look at me,” she said, cupping his face with one hand. His skin was clammy. “Everything’s going to be fine, alright?” She forced his head to turn a little more, and just like the night before, she moved to rest his head on her lap. As she sat there, his body tensed, and she knew exactly what was coming, but she didn’t move, just kept talking softly as he heaved.

Nothing but a little bit of water and bile. She didn’t care right now.

“Shhh.” She stroked the back of his head until he settled once more. And, finally his face was relaxing, but his gaze held no more awareness as eyelids fluttered. “Hey, you can’t be falling asleep...not right now,” she said, trying to keep her voice from hitching. But, her eyes burned as a thin, warped blanket fell over her gaze. 

Cassidy tried to blink the haze away, only making it worse as a few drops spilled over and trailed down. 

“Finn, come on now, look at me,” she begged in a whisper. “What about y-your beach house in Costa Rica?” she asked with a small smile. Her hand brushed over his face and moved a lock covering his eyes. “Gotta hang on until...you can have those coconut cocktails, right?” 

There was no reply, not that one was expected. Finn blinked a couple times as she spoke and turned to bury his face again, this time against her. Cassidy’s eyes were locked on him, not daring to drift away for so much as a second, not even when a hand fell on her shoulder, nor when she vaguely made out, “They’re on the way.”

She continued to stroke his hair, watching and counting each breath, half expecting them to just stop. “Don’t worry,” she muttered, “help is coming, and everything will be fine. You understand? Besides, you’re not allowed to leave us with all the work,” she joked lightly. She rambled on as the distant sounds of sirens played in the back of her mind, muddied by the buzzing. 

Hands were soon on her shoulders, trying to pull her away, soft words asking her to step back. It was all a haze as she was guided away, giving paramedics room to work. Their hands were all over him and he barely responded to any of it. But she could see it in his sluggishly drifting gaze - searching, desperately looking for something familiar to cling on to. She wanted nothing more than to go back to his side and assure him she was right there, but she couldn’t find herself to move. Her legs were locked in place; like she was viewing through someone else.

She could merely watch as they situated Finn to a stretcher, one making sure to pump fresh oxygen. 

The moment he was in the back of the ambulance, she tore herself away from the spot, heading towards the back as well.

“I’m his sister!” she blurted, “I’m going with him!” No one questioned her, no one tried to stop her. She wasn’t sure if they could if they wanted to. This wasn’t a choice for them to make at this point. 

She seated herself next to him as the paramedics continued their work. Finn was completely out of it now, eyes fully closed and mouth slack. His chest still heaved though, and fresh sweat dripped down his face. Slowly, without taking her eyes off his, she slipped her hand to grip his. Just like his face, it was clammy and slick with a slight tremble. She didn’t listen to what the others were saying, couldn’t focus on a single word.

“It’ll be alright,” she whispered, unsure who she was talking to anymore. “Don’t worry, I know you’ll be fine, y-you’re a fighter.” She gripped his hand tighter and kept her attention on the mask over his face, watching for each time it fogged over, counting each one.


	4. Stand by Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta read by: [Sinikka_von_Wolperting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinikka_von_Wolperting/pseuds/Sinikka_von_Wolperting), [markofthemoros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/markofthemoros/pseuds/markofthemoros), and [DragonRiderSayomi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSayomi/pseuds/DragonRiderSayomi)
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://elillierose.tumblr.com/) for any questions or concerns~

Exhausted and frustrated, Sean and the others hopped off the truck, all of them craving nothing more than to take a shower, get something to eat, and go to bed. And, if they’re lucky, forget this day altogether. They all dragged their feet, letting all their complaints out at once after holding them in all day. 

Sean trailed a little bit behind the rest, rubbing the back of his neck. To think, they likely had at least a couple more days of this to look forward to…

Daniel stayed by his side, still rather quiet.

Taking a deep breath, Sean glanced down. “You’re still worried?” he asked, not doubting the answer to that for a second. He received a nod. Sean had no more to say on the matter, nothing he could have said that he hadn’t already. He placed a hand on Daniel’s back and began to lead him back. “Yeah, we all are,” he muttered.

The closer they got to the camp, the more Sean’s mind buzzed and his concern increased. Walking up, it was clear the other two still weren’t back, assuming they really did carry through with going to a doctor. Which, he silently prayed was the case. It had been a solid eight to nine hours though. He bit his lip.

“Are they gone?” he asked as Hannah passed by.

“Well, I haven’t seen them anywhere,” she replied, glancing around. “To be honest, I’m surprised she got him to go anywhere. Damn idiot would only go as a last resort…” she trailed off, eyes dropping slightly at the insinuation. “Nothing we can do about it, though. Nothing aside from wait here for news either way. Unless you want to head to town and wander from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital until you find out which one they went to. Even so, good luck getting back before it gets too late.”

Sean sighed heavily. He guessed waiting it was then. But not knowing anything was going to drive him insane. He needed some sort of news, anything. However, Hannah was right, there was nothing any of them could do for the time being. 

He took a deep breath and went to put on a pot of coffee. Everything was so quiet; everyone was so down. He couldn’t blame them, they really were a family, and Finn seemed to be the main piece that held them together. And with him absent, it’s almost as if the soul itself has been sucked out of the group.

Sean exhaled through his nose and dropped into the closest chair. The moment he was down, everything in his body protested at once. He leaned forward, elbows on the table and head resting on his hands. Dark eyes drifted over the camp, watching everyone as they went about their usual, quietly. He never knew until now how much he even took the simpler, normal things for granted. He just hoped it could go back to that before too long.

Cassidy sat there, rocking back and forth with her hands clasped together in front of her. She’d been sitting there for a few hours now, waiting for any kind of information she could get. But, everyone that passed by had absolutely nothing else for her. The moment they arrived, he was taken back for surgery without a single word as to why.

Her foot tapped in time with her pulse. Eyes flickered from the floor to the clock every few seconds as she counted the seconds, then the minutes. How long has it been now? Three...four hours. Too long. With a huff, Cassidy leaned back and tilted her head to stare up at the ceiling. She could still feel the weight of Finn’s head in her lap and the heat that wafted off; it was all still too fresh. 

She glanced to the screen, eyes finding his name easily, like it had many times already. ‘Finn Davidson’. Her lips pressed together at the fake name. It was ridiculous, but for some reason, giving his real name seemed like something he wouldn’t appreciate so much. She let out a sigh; still in surgery.

She raised her hands above her and stared at her palms before lowering both of them to drag down her face. Her eyes closed as she tried to will time to move faster; the wait alone was enough to almost kill her. 

A deep breath as she readied herself for a long wait. It probably wouldn’t be too long before the others returned to an empty camp. And here she was hoping the two of them could get checked out and get back with whatever medication he would need and that would be that. Of course they couldn’t be that lucky, when were they?

More time passed her by, each hour dragging her spirits down more. The others were definitely back now, and she couldn’t help but wonder just how worried they must be. Part of her wanted to go back and tell them, but the other part wasn’t willing to leave this hospital for even a second without something to go on; she couldn’t return to them with nothing. She just wished they would hurry the hell up.

She finally risked another look at the screen, afraid it would mock her with the same status. Her heart skipped a beat or two and she read the words again.

_ H-He was out. _

Cassidy tried not to get her hopes up. That didn’t automatically mean he was fine, but she sat up, knowing that news was finally on the way. The lighting had dramatically dropped as the day began to shift into night. Her eyes wandered to the hallway, heart thrumming away.

“Come on…” she mouthed, whole leg bouncing. 

The moment a shadow was cast across the floor, she was on her feet, teeth digging into her lower lip. Finally, to both her relief and fear, a doctor came through, clipboard in hand. He glanced down for only a second, “Fi-”

“Right here,” she blurted, stepping closer.

He nodded, but his expression was slightly haggard. 

“Would you like to step somewhere else, or is right here fine?” he asked.

“I want to see him,” she replied.

His face stiffened. “Mr. Davidson just got out of surgery; it will be some time before he com-”

“I don’t care, please,” she pleaded. “I just want to see him.”

The doctor heaved a sigh and tucked the clipboard under his arm. “Very well, follow me. I’ll explain things there, then.” She was barely listening as she went after him, never falling more than a couple feet behind. With each step, her heart pounded harder. Then, at last, the paused right outside a door, and everything froze as he opened it and lead her inside.

Cassidy’s breath caught in her throat as a sob threatened to escape. 

“Finn,” she muttered. She didn’t know how to react to the scene, couldn’t even settle on a single emotion. Slowly, forcing her legs to move, she made it to his side and pulled a chair in close. On the other side of the bed, the doctor did the same with a slow exhale. Patiently, he gave her a few minutes as she took it all in.

Cassidy could only stare at his face, pale and exhausted, yet somewhat peaceful at last. But...he was alive. That’s all she cared about - that’s all that really mattered. She grabbed his hand and held it between hers and there was no stopping the smile from appearing.

After a moment, the doctor cleared his throat, reminding her that he was still there.

“So?” she asked, eyes never leaving, “What happened? What’s wrong with him?” Just like before, her chest was already constricting, fearing the worst.

He took a deep breath and pulled his notes back up. “Mr Davidson has suffered amoebic dysentery,” he started, giving Cassidy a quick glance. “I assume it was a while ago that he’s picked that up.” She shifted slightly with a low hum. “Because that was never properly treated, the parasites spread, specifically to his liver and an abscess formed.” Now he had her full attention, eyes locked on him as she waited for him to continue without a word. “I have to say, you’re both rather lucky he got here as quickly as he did. The abscess ruptured,” he added, lowering the clipboard to gaze at the other. The shock and fear was plain on her face. 

“Ruptured?” she repeated quietly. Her hands loosened their hole momentarily as she looked Finn over again. “W-What do you mean?” she asked. It was getting harder to breathe. 

“It burst,” he confirmed. “But, like I said, he was lucky to get here so fast, it could have been far worse, and there may not have been much of a chance…” he trailed off, knowing he needn’t finish that statement. “As soon as he arrived, we had to intervene surgically due to proximity to the heart. Fortunately, we found the source of the problem and were able to prevent further damage.” He gave her a few more minutes to process. When she seemed to understand, he continued, “He’ll have to stay here for a few days for recovery and antibiotics; we want to keep him for observation.”

“Alright…” she muttered flatly. “But, he’ll be fine?”

Hesitantly, he nodded, “I have reason to believe he will be in time.” 

Cassidy nodded, and the relief was back. “T-Thank you.” The doctor got to his feet and gave her one last nod before heading towards the door before pausing again. “When you can, I’d recommend getting checked out yourself.”

She thanked him one last time on his way out. A heavy, shaky breath left her and she lowered her head, trying to calm herself back down. It was alright, everything would be fine. She raised her attention back to his face, eyes trailing along the plastic tubing running just under his nose and traveling to the one stuck in the back of his hand. She wondered how long it would be before he woke up. She just hoped it would be before she left. 

She reached over to move a lock of hair. As her fingers brushed over his face, she again twitched at the heat, but it wasn’t as warm anymore. His breathing was even and features relaxed. But he was still pale, too much so for her comfort. Her thumb ran in circles on the back of his hand, feeling every little raised scar there was. 

“Finn,” she whispered, hoping that somehow he could hear her. “You’re a goddamn idiot, you know that? Scaring the shit out of me.” Sighing, she lowered her head, placing it on the edge of the bed, hands still holding his left. She was exhausted; the constant worry and restraint from completely losing it had drained everything out of her. 

She wished she had some means to contact the others, but the only way was to walk all the way back, and she wasn’t planning on leaving his side until he woke up and she could hear for herself that he really was alright now.

Cassidy easily lost track of time; at least it was tolerable. But, there was no change, no sign that he planned on waking up. She glanced at the clock: Eight p.m.. Almost twelve hours since they left camp. This was officially the worst day of her life. Slowly, she sat back up and leaned back, finally pulling her hands into her lap. She took a deep breath, and didthe one thing that always comforted her:

“When the night has come  
And the land is dark,”

She sang softly, closing her eyes.

“And the moon is the only light we'll see  
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid  
Just as long as you stand, stand by me.”

She took a slow, steady breath and continued. Her heel began to bounce up and down with the tempo until she focused on nothing but the words. As she got to the last word, it hung in the air for a few seconds before she reopened her eyes. 

“W’at a way t’wake up.”

Cassidy almost jolted and her gaze snapped right to Finn’s partially open eyes. They were hazy and unfocused, but they looked right at her, unwavering. He blinked heavily, struggling to get his eyes back open. His hand was instantly whisked back up and Cassidy leaned in closer.

“Finn, h-holy shit,” she stuttered, fighting back tears.

He mumbled something incoherently as he looked around, brow furrowed and eyes squinted. “Th’hell am I?” he croaked, lifting his free arm to drape over his eyes. “Fuck,” he groaned, turning his face towards the crook of his arm. “To’damn bright.”

“How much do you remember?” Cassidy asked. 

Finn peeked over his arm and gaze, puzzled at the other. Then he shifted, and instantly hissed before dropping his arm to instead rest across his torso. 

“Try not to move so much,” Cassidy said, “you just had surgery, dude.” 

His eyes widened marginally. “O-oh…” he muttered, then paused. “What?”

She softened her grasp, “Finn, you almost d-ied.” She lowered her head, hoping he couldn't see the pain she felt saying that out loud. She took a few seconds to compose herself and raised her head back up. “Why didn’t you say something before? This kind of shit doesn’t happen overnight. You had fucking  _ parasites  _ living in you for God knows how long, and none of us knew a damn thing!” She took a shuddering breath, not caring that fresh tears rolled down. “I knew it, I knew we should have forced your ass to a doctor the first time…”

“C-Cass…” Finn muttered, gripping her hand as tightly as he was able. “If it makes ya feel any better...I didn’know either.” 

“That’s not the point,” she sighed. Slowly, she repeated everything she was told, down to the last detail she knew. He stared blankly at her the whole time, and she hoped he was getting all of it. There was a chance he was still too out of it and would forget it come morning. But right now, he had to  _ know  _ what she did. 

By the end of it, he just nodded with a low, hum and turned to the ceiling. “So, that’s what’appened, huh?” His voice was still hoarse, weighed down with sleep. 

“Yeah, but we can talk more about it in the morning,” she said quietly, her own voice now slightly scratchy. “You should probably get some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up again.” She offered a smile, one that finally reached her eyes.

But, to her surprise, he shook his head. “No, you should prolly go back,” he said. He glanced to the window, seeing the lack of light. “Whatime isit?”

“Almost nine,” she replied. And I’m not going anywhere, not yet.”

Finn rolled his head to the side and stared back at her. “Prolly notta good idea right now,” he mumbled, glancing to the window again. “But in’tha mornin’, should go back.” He didn’t give her the chance to argue. “Merrill’ll already be pissed ‘bout me bein’ gone, don’ need’em bein’ mad at you, too.” 

“Alright, alright, I will, just go back to sleep. You’re getting hard to understand.” For now, she was willing to agree with anything just to get him back to sleep; he desperately needed it. Besides, surely the others could wait one night. 

“Ya’promise?” he asked, blinking rapidly, fingers already going slack. 

Yeah, she was sure there was a chance he wouldn’t remember a second of these last few minutes. But that was ok, she was fine with filling him in again when he could actually retain information. “Promise,” she replied. The moment that single word left her mouth, he finally let his eyes close completely, no longer fighting it. 

“Sweet dreams, Finn,” she whispered as he drifted off. 


	5. Everything Will Work Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta read by: [Sinikka_von_Wolperting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinikka_von_Wolperting/pseuds/Sinikka_von_Wolperting), [markofthemoros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/markofthemoros/pseuds/markofthemoros), and [DragonRiderSayomi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSayomi/pseuds/DragonRiderSayomi)
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://elillierose.tumblr.com/) for any questions or concerns~

The first thing he became aware of upon coming to was the dull, throbbing ache through his abdomen. His right hand found its way to his side, and he froze as fingers brushed over unfamiliar material. It was slightly rough...like gauze. Finn’s jaw stiffened. His eyes remained closed as he dug in his memory. As he lied there, clean scents filled his nose, and he instantly recognized them. 

As soon as the smell registered, pieces of memories started to fall into place, but they were jumbled and incomplete. Not to mention there was a huge gap that was missing altogether. Deep in thought, Finn barely noticed the small whimper that escaped him. Jesus, everything hurt. He tried to open his eyes again, but only managed to do so partially before he squeezed them shut once more.

He went to move his other hand, only to realize something was draped over it, something warm. His fingers twitched, and he slowly realized it was a hand. Another attempt was given to opening his eyes. Well, one of them, anyway. He pried it open only a sliver, just enough to make out the silhouette next to him, head down, resting on the edge of the bed. All it took was the sight of purple for him to know exactly who it was.

“Cass’dy?” he mumbled, barely recognizing his own voice. The grating sound of it caused him to wince. 

Even so, she shifted at her name, sleepily raising her head. The movement resulted in her hand slipping away from his. Then, for a moment, their gazes met. They shared a silent exchange of confusion combined with surprise.

“Well, good morning,” Cassidy muttered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Finn dragged his eyes to the clock, but couldn’t yet see clearly enough to make out the time. After only a second of struggling, he groaned and leaned his head back, deeper into the pillow. “Mornin’,” he croaked. 

“I take it you don’t remember much.”

No reply.

Cassidy breathed out slowly. “Yeah, didn’t think you would.” She sat up and folded her hands on her lap. “How awake are you this time?”

‘This time?’ Finn shook his head, trying to rid himself of some of the grogginess. “Awake e’nough,” he muttered, opening both eyes a bit now. Clarity still escaped him, but he could see more of her features. 

“Alright, where do I start? I guess I should be asking how much you remember first.”

His forehead creased in thought and his eyes drifted away from hers. “I remember feelin’ like shit…” he muttered. “Still kinda do.” He took a deep breath, finally pulling his hand away from his side. “Pain...and I rem’ber, uh…” he trailed off. “I know we were on’our way to town, but I don’ rem’ber makin’ it there.” 

Finn looked back to her, waiting for her to fill the gaps. Once more, she went over the events, making sure to gloss over some of the bits she was sure he wouldn’t want to hear: like the one where he threw up on her. Luckily she managed to get that cleaned up. He took in every word of it, clinging to every bit with barely any visible reaction. With each new piece, his heart dropped deeper.

Once she was done, they both fell into another, heavier silence until Finn just nodded. So, that’s what happened. It seemed surreal, and he really hoped either this was just a weird fever dream, or she was lying and this was some huge prank that everyone was in on. Would have believed either, really, if it weren’t for the prominent pain disproving both of those theories. 

“And th’others?” he asked. 

She took a deep breath, “They don’t know yet… I haven’t left here since you were brought in.” She averted her eyes. “Guess I have to go back at some point though,” she chuckled nervously. “I should also probably go back to work today, too, I’m sure Merrill isn’t too happy about-”

“Shit…” Finn groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “He’s gonna fuckin’ kill me,” he muttered. If what Cassidy said was true, there was no chance he would be showing up for a while. And the boss didn’t appreciate no-shows, sick or not. Though, Finn was pretty sure this would more than qualify as an exception. He was harsh most of the time, but he was still a reasonable guy.

“Hey, it’s gonna work out,” Cassidy assured. “I’m pretty sure he’s not gonna fire you. He sure likes you a hell of a lot more than the rest of us…” She leaned back and crossed her legs. Besides, if he fired you, pretty sure he’d lose a lot more than just one worker.” She gave him a soft smile, one that was haphazardly returned. “And you say we worry too much.”

“You do.” He went to continue, but a soft knock on the door had the attention of them both. It cracked open, and a nurse peered inside. 

She glanced at Finn, “Mr. Davidson,” she greeted with a warm smile.

The brunet arched an eyebrow. “Davidson, who the fu-” he gasped, nearly cried out when a relatively gently jab cut him off.

“Oh, sweet  _ brother _ of mine, you must really still be out of it to forget your own  _ name, _ ” Cassidy almost growled lowly, glaring down at him. 

He mumbled under his breath and returned the glare. “Oh...right, of course it is…” 

“I’m just here to check everything,” the nurse informed, stepping in. As she got closer, Cassidy rose to her feet.

As much as she hated it, she knew she shouldn’t stay there any longer. She had to get back to the others, let them know what’s going on. And...Finn was right, she couldn’t afford to miss more than one day in a row. He might be able to get away with it, but she couldn’t. “I’ll be back tonight,” she promised. “And, I’ll let the others know you’re alright.”

He gave her a small wave, but when her hand was on the handle, he called out. “Cass? If ya don’ mind, can you bring a couple of my books back? It’s gonna get boring as hell here.” 

“Which ones you ya want?” she asked.

Finn waved the hand the nurse wasn’t currently fiddling with. “Doesn’matter, read’em all anyway.”

Cassidy gave him a quick, two-finger salute. “Gotcha, and please, try to stay out of trouble for once in your life.” She ignored the exaggerated roll of his eyes. Before heading out, she gave the nurse a quick look, “If he gives ya a hard time, don’t hesitate to sedate his ass.”

As she closed the door, her gaze continued to rest on Finn, watching him until he was cut off from sight. She inhaled deeply and pressed her back against the door, closing her eyes. Finally, a crushing weight had been lifted. 

She could breathe easily again. Despite her relief, her eyes prickled and stung as that damned haze returned. Cassidy wiped the back of her hand across her eyes, sighing as her skin dampened. That damn idiot...the moment he was out of here, she was going to kill him herself. After giving herself a moment to calm down, she pushed herself away; it was going to be a long walk back.

* * *

Sean turned over, vaguely aware of all the chattering going on outside. He moaned lowly to himself as light filtered in, easily piercing both the tent and his eyelids. He swore, the nights never lasted quite long enough. He glanced over to find the spot next to him vacant. It was a wonder that kid was always awake before he was. As he woke up more and most of the grogginess disappeared, the voices grew louder and clearer.

Then one caused his eyes to snap open.

“Cassidy?” he muttered, jolting upright.

Sean listened for a few seconds more, and yeah, that was definitely her and not just him hearing what he wanted to hear. He nearly tripped over his own feet as he stumbled out of the tent, pausing when all eyes were on him. Everyone was gathered around her, all expressions bearing various emotions. 

But...he didn’t see Finn anywhere. 

The look must have been plain on his face because Cassidy gave him a small smile. “Don’t worry,” she said softly, “he’s alright. Well, mostly. He’s not dead, anyway.” She moved down the bench, giving Sean room. “He has to stay at the hospital for a little while,” she said. The exhaustion was palpable. 

“H-Hospital?” Sean repeated. His heart stopped mid-beat. 

Cassidy nodded, and for the second time since arriving, explained it all, not skipping anything. She really hoped this would be the last time. No matter how many times she repeated it, it never really grounded itself in her mind. “Anyway,” she went on, “he basically nagged me into coming back here, said he doesn’t want me on Merrill’s bad side,” she laughed humorously. “Even out of his senses, the dumbass couldn’t be bothered to worry about himself.”

Sean let out a heavy breath; it was almost too much to take in all at once. Finn...almost died. And it occurred to him, like he was sure it did to the others as well, that if Cassidy had not left with Finn when she had, things could have ended much differently. That thought honestly scared the shit out of him, and he didn’t even want to think about that alternative. But, there it was, nagging in the back of his head, refusing to silence. 

His breath shuddered out as he dropped his gaze to the ground. He had been waiting for some sort of news all night, but this...this was something else. 

“Yeah, well that basically sums it up,” Cassidy announced, clapping her hands to her legs and sitting up straighter. “Sorry I didn’t come back sooner, but…” She averted her gaze.

“Don’t worry, we get it,” Hannah assured. “Just...glad it worked out.” She looked away with a couple heavy blinks. “Just...shit, I can’t believe we didn’t realize just how...bad it was.”

“Yeah,” Sean agreed after a few seconds, “but none of us had any way of knowing.” No one else had any words, nothing they could or wanted to say. “Glad he’ll be alright. So,” he went on, in a lighter tone, “guess these means extra shifts for a while.” He turned to Daniel, who had been unnaturally quiet this whole time. Well, wasn’t too surprising considering how close he had grown to Finn over these past few weeks. “What do you say? You ready to crack down on the farm for a while?”

Daniel gave a hard not, determination lighting in his eyes. “Hell yeah!”

Sean gave him a heavy clap on the shoulder. “I don’t think there will be any worries on this end,” he told Cassidy. “Looks like we’re all willing to pitch in a little extra work if we have to.” Then, his face dropped as he remembered. “But, there’s still a small problem.” That statement alone looked to sap a little of the happiness out of the moment. “Merrill...he’s not exactly pleased about you two being gone yesterday. Said as long as you two weren’t there, there would be no pay for either.”

Cassidy jerked her head to the side. “I’m not too shocked, the bastard.” She dug her heel in the ground. “So, that’s probably a week he’ll go without a cut. Guess I’m willin’ to split mine; I don’t mind, I have a little saved up anyway.”

“Me too,” Hannah said. “I’ll give what I can.”

“I can spare a bit,” Jacob muttered.

Ingird, Anders and Penny all gave their nods and waves of approval as well. 

Sean fiddled his thumbs together as he chewed his bottom lip. He’d managed to save quite a bit since coming here - almost a thousand dollars, and they were going to need every penny of that. He kept reminding himself, Daniel was the priority and already so much had been sacrificed so they could save every cent possible. Under any other circumstances he would offer all he could. But again, something else took place as number one responsibility. He glanced over to the younger, chest clenching.

“Sean, can’t we pitch in as well?”

Said teen opened his mouth for a second with no sound as he struggled to think of what to say, but someone beat him to it.

“It’s fine, I’m sure the medicine won’t be cheap, but with all of is throwing together what we can, we should be able to cover it,” Hannah added. “And from the sounds of, he’s going to need it. Don’t think there’s really much of a real choice to be had.” She gave Sean a sideways glance. “We’re all like a family, aren’t we, a fucked up, dysfunctional family that has to stick together.” 

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate it,” Cassidy said. “I know he’s not going to accept it, but I’m saying right now he has zero say in the matter.” She leaned back, letting some of the tension leave her shoulders. “Guess someone should go back tonight, I was probably going to anyway, though.”

“I-I can.”

“Daniel,” Sean warned. “I don’t think that’s the best idea. We’re out here for a reason, you know.” His hand was on the younger’s upper arm, holding his attention.

Yanking his arm away, Daniel let out a frustrated, “I know that! Trust me, I couldn’t forget.” He folded his arms tightly over his chest, “I don’t understand what the big deal is, it’s not like I want to walk around town or anything, not many people would even see us.” Then, in a lower voice, he added, “He’s my friend, too.”

“I know, Daniel, just… It’s not a good idea is all.” He watched as Daniel kicked at a small pebble and mumbled something to himself. “Don’t get like that. We...we’ll talk about it later, ok?”

Daniel said nothing, just continued to find more interest in the ground than in his brother. He wanted to say more, was planning to, but duty called, or honked, rather. Sean shook his head and patted the other on the back. “Come on, we should go. Gotta...be on our  _ best _ behavior now,” he ground out. “You know what that mean,” he said, giving Daniel a glare of warning.

The other scoffed, stepping by without so much as a glance. “Yeah, I got it,” he said with clear annoyance. 

Sean pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. He was starting to get a headache from all this. But, he knew the whining and sulking wouldn’t stop until he eventually agreed to let him go. As he walked with the others, he considered it: they wouldn’t be there for long, and definitely not overnight. But, like before, he was sure the last thing Finn wanted or needed was a bunch of people crowding in a room with him.

Even on the way to the farm, he kept his hands clasped together, occasionally glancing at Daniel, debating with himself. At least, he noticed, everyone else was talking amongst themselves again.

He was ripped from his thoughts as the truck juttered to a stop and they were being ushered by Big Joe. Like clockwork, they lined up as the boss paced before them, his hands behind his back. And as he looked each of them in the face, brows furrowing with each eyes he glanced over, they knew what he was about to ask.

“He skipping again today, huh?” He shook his head, finally coming to a stop.

“We already told you,” Hannah spoke up, “Finn’s sick, he can’t work.” She brushed a hand over her hair and shifted her weight.

Merrill scoffed. “‘Sick,’” he muttered mockingly. “I swear, I let that boy get away with a hell of a lot more than I ought to.” He moved his arms to cross over his chest. “Look, I try to be lenient, and have been, but if he misses one more day after today, he’s gone, there are plenty of others lines up and I can’t be waiting around until he feels like doi-”

“Merrill…” Cassidy broke in, instantly looking down and shrinking under the man’s glare. “Finn is… he’s really sick,” she clarified. “He almost died, just give’em a break.” She held his gaze, refusing to break eye contact. “He just had fucking surgery for Christ’s sake!”

His jaw tightened. “Did I say he had to work? No, I didn’t. I said he’d be gone. As, I said, it doesn’t matter how good of a worker he was, the shit he did could be done by most anyone, and I owe none of you a damn thing. I can’t wait until he’s fit to work, I have people that  _ I  _ answer to. So, if he can’t show up to get the work I need done, he gets replaced; it’s as simple as that. And if any of you have an issue with it, there’s enough to replace each and every one.”

He paused, waiting, almost daring one more word to come out of a single one of them.

“Now, if there are no more complaints about how I run things, you all have work to do.”

Cassidy swore under her breath and wrapped her arms around herself. If it weren’t for the fact they money was going to be tight, she was more then willing to walk away right then and there. 

“Yes...boss,” she near growled. 

After their assignments were given, they went their separate ways, none of them willing to make anything more than an utterance. There was a silent understanding between them all, and understanding that knew where their current priorities lay. They were all willing to swallow their pride for the sake of one of their own; he’d do the same for them, they knew.

Regardless, now there was a new worry to burden them with, the fact that Finn was about to be out of a job.


	6. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta read by: [Sinikka_von_Wolperting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinikka_von_Wolperting/pseuds/Sinikka_von_Wolperting), [markofthemoros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/markofthemoros/pseuds/markofthemoros), and [DragonRiderSayomi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSayomi/pseuds/DragonRiderSayomi)
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://elillierose.tumblr.com/) for any questions or concerns~

For most of the day, Finn drifted in and out of sleep, never really staying in one state or the other for more than an hour. It was always one reason or another: either doctors or nurses were barging in to do what they had to, or it was his own body deciding not to let him have a moment of peace.

Now, nearly seven in the evening, he was awake. Tired as hell, but sleep was just out of arm’s reach. It teased him mercilessly. With a sigh and a groan, he pulled himself up and turned just enough to gaze out the window. At least he was lucky enough in that regard, lucky his view wasn’t just the side of another building. Had to count what blessings he could. With the waning light, there wasn’t much left he could make out. Not that it mattered, he looked out it so much already he practically had the whole scene memorized.

He turned his head to the other side, eyes falling to the table and the cup on top. Chips now melted, there only remained a puddle of water at the bottom; but, even that had his nose wrinkling slightly. Though, he had to admit, at least the nausea had subsided substantially. It was still there, reminding him of its presence, but it was manageable. 

Finn closed his eyes with a huff. Barely a day here and the boredom was eating away at him. He needed to do something, get up, anything. Alas, walking was not on the list of things he was allowed to do at the moment. As he lay there, debating just how important that list was, the turning of the handle had him instantly perking back up, attention right to the door as it opened. But, that hope crumbled when the face of the nurse peaked around.

“Oh good,” she said, “glad to see you’re awake.”

“Oh yeah,” Finn replied, slinking back down, “What can I say, havin’ the time of my life and I don’t wanna miss a second.” He sat up straighter as she got closer, doing his best without success to hide a grimace. 

As she fiddled with the IV, Finn’s attention drifted back to the door, half hoping that any second now someone else would be stepping through. He wasn’t sure how long he stared, but he was ripped away when his view was cut off.

“Are you expecting someone?” she asked, moving over to his left side.

Finn half-shrugged. “Dunno, guess I’m just waitin’ and seein’.” He relaxed back as the gauze was peeled back. His lips pressed firmly together when he stole a quick glance. “So,” he muttered softly, almost in a whisper, “any chance you’ll say anything if I mosey on out of here?”

She let out a small chuckle. “Sorry, Mr. Davidson, but I’m afraid that’s a no can do.” The corner of Finn’s mouth twitched, likely due to another attempt at restraining a small hiss. Carefully, she cleaned around the wound, both of them silent as she did so. Finishing up, she covered it with fresh gauze and offered another warm expression. “Gotta stay here for at least a few days, then you’re free to leave as you please.”

He let out a heavy breath and dropped his head back. Just like that, he was suddenly growing quite tired again. On the bright side, these beds sure beat practically sleeping on the ground, sleeping bag or not. Still, despite that, he would have much prefered the alternative - at least that was more familiar. 

When he opened his eyes again, it was eerily quiet; he was alone again. He must have actually dozed off for a little bit there. Finn blinked away the haze and peered at the clock. Only about thirty minutes had gone by. He pressed his palms against his eyes and yawned deeply. Again, a sound off to the side caught his ears and bleary eyes cut over as the door again slowly opened.

He groaned to himself as he waited to hear one of the two voices he’s heard all day. But, as the first face came into view, his chest lightened. 

“So, ya decided to come back after all,” he muttered, unable to hide his relief.

“What, did you think I’d just drop ya off and leave ya for good?” Cassidy joked. “If I wanted to get rid of you, I’d think of a better way. You would just find your way back.”

Finn dipped his head and gave an actual, genuine laugh with partial regret. Then he lifted his head again just as a couple more faces filtered in. “And looks like you brought some eye candy with ya,” he said with a wink when Sean stepped fully into view. Daniel followed right behind before squeezing his way through. “And ya brought the cool one, too, huh?” he added with a hint of uncertainty. His eyes softened as he made sure he was fully covered.

He gazed into the faces of them all, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something lingering under the contentment that caused his stomach to knot up. Without a word, Cassidy took her previous spot next to him, and it was then he noticed the bag she was carrying.

“Here,” she said, digging something out - a book. He gently took it and glanced over the cover. Definitely not one of his. ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. “You said you read all the others, so I picked up something different on the way over,” she shrugged. “Thought it might help the time pass since you’ll be stuck here.”

He stared at it or a few seconds. “I appreciate it, but you really didn’t have to get a new one, any of the others would have done fi-”

“‘Thank you’ is enough,” she cut in with a light tap to his head. 

Finn’s eyes narrowed, there was a catch to all this, he knew it. “What’s wrong?” he asked, setting the book to the side. He looked to Sean, getting nothing from him either and switched back. “Cassidy?” He searched her face and she avoided eye contact for a few seconds before finally taking a deep breath.

Finally, she looked right at him. “Finn,” she sighed, “Merrill...he wants to fire you if you miss another day,” she said, getting right to the point. He didn’t say anything in response, he just dropped his stare to his hands as they folded in his lap. “We tried to talk some sense into him, but, you know Merrill…”

“It’s fine,” Finn muttered with a shake of his head. “He’s probably just in one of his moods, he’ll get out of it.”

“I don’t know,” Sean spoke up, finally coming in closer to stand on the other side, “he seemed pretty serious...and pissed.”

The drifter rolled his head in exaggeration, “He’s always pissed, that’s his natural state of being.” He propped himself up and gave a dismissive wave, but the change in tone was noticeable. “I...I wouldn’t worry about it, I’ll talk to him when I go back, and everything will work itself out.” He licked dry lips and clapped his hands together. “So, go on now, tell me how things are in the outside world? Has much changed?”

“Stop being such a drama queen,” Cassidy rolled her eyes.

“Hey, I’m bein’ serious here,” Finn replied, hands raised in defense. “It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve seen the outside world. Think I’m goin’ crazy in here.” 

Cassidy offered a small, sympathetic smile. “Sorry, but you know the drill, have to stay here. But, that wouldn’t be the case if someone wasn’t so damn stubborn and got this all checked out the first time when he was told to multiple times.”

Finn’s gaze narrowed before waving - flopping - a dismissive hand. “Nahhh, where’s the lesson in that?” he muttered, hand dropping to rest over his side. He watched her features shift from amusement to mild disappointment. “Don’t look at me like that. We both know you wouldn’t have done any differently, so don’t even try.” His hand moved and his fingers played with the edge of the gauze. “Look, I may be smart, but everyone has their stupid moments, alright?” He tilted his head in order to look her in the eyes. “You know I hate it when people worry about stuff, so you know I would’ve avoided it if poss- if I knew.” He cut his eyes over to Sean and Daniel, “Besides, gonna get a nice scar out of this, and that’s pretty damn sexy.”

She couldn’t stop the corner of her mouth from twitching. The damn idiot.

“Seriously though,” she picked back up, with a lighter tone. “I really think we need to figure this whole thing out. Ignoring it until we can’t probably isn’t the best way to go about it. So, what if you don’t get Merrill to come around, Finn? I mean, he’s a reasonable guy and all most of the time, but if you can’t get a job back with him, then we need a plan.”

“Then I’ll just find somethin’ else; there’s always somethin’ to do for someone.” He took a deep breath with a slight wince. He looked between her and Sean, noticing a somewhat shared expression. “Though, I suppose we have been here longer than we should have,” he muttered.

Sean dropped his gaze, finally taking a seat in one of the other available chairs. Quickly, he changed the subject - there would be a better time to discuss their plans. “So, how’re ya feeling?”

Finn flashed a quick smile, “A lot better now that you’re here, sweetheart.” He gave a wink. “Nah, seriously though, it ain’t that bad. Could be a lot worse.”

“A lot worse than almost dying?” Cassidy scoffed, leaning back.

“There’s a lot more worse than death,” he replied with a slight smirk. “I can list them off on both hands.” His features softened. “Hafta be honest though, dyin’ in that way may have been a bit embarrassing. When I die, I sure‘as hell don’t want it to be on some sidewalk.” He took a slow inhale this time, “So, I definitely owe ya for that.”

Cassidy sighed softly, “Yeah, guess you kinda do.”

Finn finally looked back to Daniel; the kid was so quiet, he almost forgot he was standing there. “Hey, little man,” he greeted, offering a quick fist bump. He got one in return, but it was a lot less enthusiastic than usual. “Man, if I wasn’t here right now, I’d swear I did die with the energy you all are hauling around.”

“We’re all just tired,” Sean answered. “Been a long couple of days. And after everything that's happened, well, it’s just been a crazy emotional roller coaster.”

“He’s right,” Cassidy said. “They barely got any sleep last night, too busy worrying about your ass. Though...I guess that’s partially my fault as well for not telling them sooner. I don’t even think that one over there slept barely at all.” She nodded towards Sean. “But, it’s all good now, they’re all filled in and we even decided a schedule for visits.”

Finn groaned audibly. “Sayin’ like that just makes it seem like Imma be stuck here for years,” he complained. 

“Just a few days,” Cassidy corrected. “Then you’re free again. Free to make our lives a living Hell.” She clapped a hand down on his shoulder and gave it a firm, yet gentle, squeeze. “And remember, the better you behave and do as you’re told, the sooner you get to leave.” 

Finn mumbled to himself. “Yeah yeah, I get the drill. Trust me, it’s killin’ me to lie here and do nothing all day, but I’m not that stupid. Not all the time,” he added with another wink. He sighed deeply, already finding it a little difficult to stay awake. He pressed his palms against his eyes and rubbed. “Shit,” he yawned with exaggeration. 

Sean cleared his throat, “It’s getting pretty late, maybe it’s best we head off. Probably shouldn’t keep you awake anyway,” he said, a slight smile. 

“Nah, sweetheart, you’re good,” Finn assured. “I’ve been sleeping all day anyway, ‘bout time I actually wake up. Been goin’ nuts sittin’ here alone.” He pulled himself up to sit straighter, but not without another hiss, one that he instantly waved off. 

For most of the evening, they kept their conversations light, keeping the topic from the heavier side of things for the time being. There really was no point in worrying about something you couldn’t change. They’d cross the Merrill bridge when they got there. But, regardless, it still gnawed at the back of all of their minds. But, when they were all together, it would definitely be a subject they’d have to discuss.

* * *

For the next few days, this is the pattern they followed: a couple of them would drop by for most of the night, Cassidy being the only one allowed to stay for the full. Everyone dropped by at least once though, some more so than others. Every day, Finn was growing more impatient, getting antsier by the moment. But, he stayed put, did as Cassidy asked and forced himself to just deal with it until he was released. 

On the bright side, he was finally feeling more like himself; the nausea had almost completely subsided and nearly all the discomfort was gone. Of course, they still had him on a pretty strict diet for the most part. But, he was allowed to walk around and could finally get an actual shower. Then, it wasn’t long before it was his final day here; he’d been given the clear to go whenever he pleased. So, of course, there was zero hesitation the moment he was given the go ahead.

Though, much to his disapproval, Cassidy had insisted on lugging his few belongings around. It was nothing more than that one book he had here and a couple articles of clothing, but for some reason, it was deemed too much to carry.

“Cassssss,” he warned, drawn out, “what is that, like half a pound?” he asked, nodding his head to her arms.

He folded his arms over his chest as she cocked her head to the side. “Finn, you’ve just been released from the hospital, and as ridiculous as it sounds, I’d rather not risk anything for at least a week. Besides, remember, they said to take it easy.” She switched arms as they finished up at the front counter.

“I’m just ready to finally see the light of day again,” he muttered. Cassidy offered a slight smile as she glanced him up and down. He was looking a little rougher than usual. Was a bit thinner; would probably take some time before he got all of his strength back. 

The moment the sun hit him, Finn stretched his hands behind his head with a low hum. Despite his relief, exhaustion still lined his features, but that was sure to go away with a little bit more time.

“I know you’re in a rush to get back, but we still have to make a stop,” she reminded, flashing him a piece of paper.

Finn sighed with a heavy roll of his eyes. “I mean, that could wait until tomorrow or somethi-” his mouth snapped back shut at the sideways glare he received. “Alright, fine, I surrender,” he muttered, hands raised. “But, jus’ for the record, I feel pretty good.”

“Yeah, well, you felt fine for months after the first time and look at the shit it landed you in.” Cassidy shot back. “So no, we’re getting it now, and you’re not missing a single dose; I’ll shove it down your damn throat if I have to.”

Finn dipped his head, “Alright, down girl,” he laughed softly. “I was only kiddin’.” Closely, he followed behind her, all the way to a pharmacy and all the way to the front desk. Cassidy handed the prescription over, lips pressed firmly together. It took a bit of time to get everything sorted, plenty of time for the both of them to wander around and take a look around the place before their bag was finally dropped on the counter. 

“Here ya go,” the man announced as he began ringing it all up, muttering to himself the whole time. With each click of his typing, the two of them were cringing. “That comes out tooo… $52.37,” he announced. 

The drifter whistled lowly to himself. “Well I was prepared for much worse,” he mumbled with a shrug. He fished through his pockets before realizing these weren’t his usual clothes. Before he could say a word, Cassidy was already pushing him back with her free arm and handed a wad of cash over. 

“This should cover it.”

Finn’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say a word. He stood there as the bag was scooped up and shoved against his chest. “And don’t you dare lose that,” she said with a single fingered jab. “Now come on before it gets too late.”

“You don’t have to tell be twice,” the brunet replied, giving the pharmacist a quick wave on the way out. 

The trip back to the camp was a bit of a quiet one, and the whole way there, Cassidy was very aware of Finn’s breathing. Though there was nothing to be too concerned about, she couldn’t help but be hyper-aware of it. This was the most he’s gotten to move around in the last week. That on top of the fact that he was still fairly weak, it was to be expected. They had to stop a few times to give him a chance to catch his breath, every time he swore he was all good and could keep going. It was Cassidy who would call the breaks. 

Eventually though, slower than either of them would have cared for, they reached the edge of the camp. Luckily, the others were respectful enough to keep their distance, even if that didn’t stop them from asking their questions and giving their ‘welcome backs’. 

Finn merely responded with raised hands as he located the first place he could to drop himself. He leaned back with his hands crossed and eyes closed. “Give me a minute, need to, uh, remind myself who all is who and where everything is again,” he joked. 

“No falling asleep,” Cassidy reminded. “You can sleep after you’ve had real food and taken your first dose.”

His nose wrinkled slightly, but he didn’t argue back. “Yes,  _ mom, _ ” he muttered, turning his head to the side. He actually wasn’t that hungry if he were being honest, but with all the light stuff he was stuck on, there was no doubt he would be in need of something a bit more sustaining. Right now the idea was somewhat revolting, but he knew he’d appreciate it a bit more come morning. Finn let out a heavy sigh and sank deeper into his seat. Well, perhaps a short nap wouldn’t hurt. 

* * *

With all of them gathered around the fire, it was just about like nothing had ever happened; all fell back into the norm for them. For the most part, Finn was quiet as he sat back and watched the others, listened to them fall into their own conversations, mouthed along as Cassidy sang her newest song. He remembered her coming up with every lyric as she sat by his bedside. 

But, like before, and as much as he wished to continue to ignore it, he knew they were going to have to address the real issue here shortly. What they were going to do about his position with Merrill. Come tomorrow when the rest of them were picked up, he’d have to figure out what he was going to do, and they all knew damn well he wasn’t going to sit around at camp while the rest of them went off to work. The more he thought about the inevitable, the more everyone else’s voices faded into the background. 

Before he knew it, his head was tilted, eyes locked on the ground, boring a hole right through. He wasn’t aware how long he was like that until a hand clapped on his shoulder and gave a bit of a rough shake.

“Hmm?” he muttered, snapping out of his reverie with widened eyes.

Cassidy waved a hand slowly in front of his eyes. “Finn? You in there?” He blinked a few times and gently pushed her hand away.

“Yeah, still here,” he sighed. “Been a long day, and have a lot to consider.”

“Well, that’s not like you,” Hannah replied, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. “Never knew you to be the type to consider anything, Mr. go with the flow.” She straightened back up when he didn’t seem to hold the same demeanor. “Thinking about Merrill?” she asked, already knowing full well they were all caught up on that still.

Finn took a deep breath and gave his head a light, clearing shake. “Yeah, trying to think about how Imma convince’em to give me another chance. Though, I can just work my charm like I usually do; that often does the trick,” he added half-heartedly with a smirk. “Merrill’s tough, but he’s more talk than anything. I’m sure I can work my magic and work things over. I’ve done it before,” he shrugged. “All it takes is a bit of sweet talkin’ and you all know that’s my specialty.” He finished with a quick wink. “But who knows, maybe this is just our cue to move on to the next adventure.”

They others all lowered their gaze; they knew the moment would have to come sooner or later. Still, it was nice: the chance to actually settle down, even if it was only momentarily. It was longer than usual. But, perhaps Finn was right, moving on would be best. Things were getting tense here, they were getting too comfortable.

“So, when do you wanna ditch this place?” Hannah asked after a few more seconds of silence.

“You don’t think up and leavin’ without a word will do, do you?” Cassidy wondered, with only a touch of jest. To be honest, she wasn’t sure how Merrill would take that. Who knows, he might just track them down.

Finn half shrugged. “I’m already a free man, aren’t I?” he said with a small smile. “It’s all y’all who’ll have to deal with the consequences this time around. But, I don’t mind the idea of leavin’ ‘em dry. Would be a nice little taste of karma as far as I’m concerned.” He stated the last bit with bitterness. But...this is up to you guys, I can’t make the call for you.  _ But _ , I will make it very clear, I fully support this first idea.”

He glanced over at Sean, noticing easily the way his gaze was lingering down on his hands as his thumbs twirled. Finn took a deep breath and tossed his head back to stare up at the sky. “But, there is steady money here, right?” He let out a sigh and lowered his head once more. “We have to keep in mind that some of us still need the jobs. His arms folded over his chest. “So, yeah, not really my decision.”

With that, more eyes were on the brothers. The older of the two seemed to shrink under all the uncomfortable stares, and his eyes flicked up a few times before he awkwardly cleared his throat. Sean took one quick glance at Finn before speaking up for the first time,

“It’s fine, really. I have a good bit of money saved up. Enough to hold us over until we can...find something else. It’s still not enough to get us to Mexico, but it’s still more than I thought we’d have by now. So, I guess that means we’re ahead of schedule in a way.” He lifted his head and straightened slightly. “Besides, I didn’t like the idea of Daniel working in that place from the start, so moving on might be for the best.”

Next to him, the younger brother nodded firmly. “Yeah, it’s kind of boring out here,” he added. It was obvious that wasn’t his initial reasoning, but no one called him out on it.

Finn gave the kid a genuine smile at that; he appreciated it, really. “So, anyone have any objections to skipping town?” he asked, more than a little enthusiasm in his tone. He always was one to constantly be on the move, so it was no surprise he would have been hoping for this outcome. He went to get to his feet, instantly wincing and dropping back down. His right arm wrapped around his torso with a small hiss.

“Cool your jets,” Cassidy humorlessly chuckled. “You just got out of the hospital, dude, last thing we need is you popping stitches and bleeding to death.”

He breathed out slowly and relaxed once the sting passed. “Yeah, yeah, I gotcha.” His voice was tight, yet jovial. “But, probably shouldn’t stick around for much longer.”

“We get paid again in a few days,” Hannah reminded. “At least wait until then, then we can leave. Don’t wanna go without getting our cuts.” She scanned the drifter over, some concern in her eyes. “Are you sure you’re up for traveling now, though? Cassidy is right, it is rather soon and all.”

Finn waved a weak and dismissive hand. “Eh, I’m resilient. I wouldn’t worry about it. In a few days, I’ll be good as new. But right now,” he paused to look to Cassidy and held out a had, “I could really use a hit.” He nodded his head towards the blunt held between her fingers. “I think I’ve earned it.”

She rolled her eyes in exaggeration, took another hit and passed it over. “Guess you better milk this whole thing while you can.”

“Thank you kindly,” he said as he plucked it from her fingers and placed it between his lips. He breathed deeply and slowly released, attention now settling on the fire. And, for a few drawn out minutes, he appeared content. This lasted for a little while longer, until he finished the last of the smoke and, this time slowly, pushed himself up to his feet with a sigh. “Well, I’m tired, think I might call it a night.”

There was more than one bit back remark about the irony of that. Instead, there were a few soft good nights and a couple of offers, all of which were denied with a couple raised hands. “Guys, really, I can walk,” he assured. “It’s just a few feet, calm down.” Still, he gave himself a couple seconds to make sure he was steady enough to take a step. “I suggest the rest of you get some sleep too; you all look like shit. We got a big day coming up, better start packing, amigos.”

Carefully, hearing a few smart-assed remarks in his wake, Finn situated himself in his tent with a few unsavory choice words. But, soon enough, he was lying on his back, staring at the fabric ceiling. He closed his eyes, still listening to the commotion going on outside. He would never know how the hell he came to be so lucky to find such a family.

**Author's Note:**

> Gonna be posting the next chapters over the next few days or so. They're all done, so technically this story is complete, so no worries there. Made sure I got it all down before posting anything this time. C:


End file.
